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Thread: AT33PTG/II to ART9

  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

    Default AT33PTG/II to ART9

    Thinking about an upgrade in the near future, and the next logical step up from my AT33PTG/II seems to be the Art9.
    I have read a few reviews, and people seem very happy with it, but I have a few questions.

    Am I right in that it needs a relatively light tone arm?

    Is it worth the additional cost over an AT33PTG/II, or are there other cartridges that will give better VFM?
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  2. #2
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: Banbury, Oxfordshire/Panteg is where my late father was born

    Posts: 4,382
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    Light tonearm? Well any SME should be fine along with the Jelco range I would think.
    As for alternatives, I've been using the AT33EV and am looking at the Hana SL and ML as a future change of cartridge.
    Check them out.
    Chris

    We've gone on holiday by mistake !

  3. #3
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

    Default

    Thanks Chris. I had an SL in the past, which I sold on as I preferred the AT33PTG/II.
    The ML does look interesting though.
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  4. #4
    Join Date: Sep 2017

    Location: Chichester, West Sussex UK

    Posts: 368
    I'm John.

    Default

    If your looking at dropping circus £1k on a new cart, then I would look seriously at stretching your budget a bit and grabbing the very low hours Transfiguration Axia S that Petrat has for sale (can't remember if it's AoS or Wam classifieds). This is an £1800 cart with around 55 hrs on it, glowing reviews, which would probably be an endgame cart for you and as a bonus needs feeding the same 100 Ohm load as your current AT.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Sep 2012

    Location: Derbyshire

    Posts: 542
    I'm mark.

    Default

    I used headshell weights when I had Audiomods V with all my AT's including Art9, 3g brass nuts in SME4. Mission Mechanic works with standard SS bolts but that has effective mass of 16g.

    So, light arm not required, you can tune to suit.

    Better than PTG? Absolutely, you can tell the same people make it, but everything just better. Cleaner bass, space around instruments and all that

  6. #6
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Chorley, Lancs

    Posts: 2,734
    I'm Mike.

    Default

    Awesome cart, sounds great on my Audiomods series 6


    As the late Colonel Sanders once said
    "I'm too drunk to taste this chicken!!"

  7. #7
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

    Default

    Thanks for the feedback.
    It has been suggested that the 7 might be the better cartridge?
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  8. #8
    Join Date: Sep 2012

    Location: Derbyshire

    Posts: 542
    I'm mark.

    Default

    The problem with the 7 is the output, if you've got a phono stage that will cope with very low volts it'll be up there. I haven't heard one, but I've got a 37e (did I say I like AT ) thats 0.12mV. Into a Paradise I don't have any noise/hiss, but I get the feeling I could do with a bit more oommppph.

    I've got a 1:2 SUT to try when I get a moment with soldering iron.

    I've just double checked, 0.12mV vs 0.5mV, not insignificant difference.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2013

    Location: Solihull, UK

    Posts: 410
    I'm Bob.

    Default

    Like you Kevin, I had the ART 9 on my radar as being a likely successor to the SAE 1000LT / ATOC9ML II / AT33PTG II that I'd been enjoying for quite a number of years. But I'd been more or less disillusioned by carts costing around a grand or so as being surprisingly lacklustre when it came to delivering (Benz Micro Wood SL, Shelter 5000).

    As a final voyage into the expensive unknown I bought an Ortofon Cadenza Bronze. What a disappointment! Time to give up. But given what I'd got invested in it I kept the cart in a draw and twice more over about 18 months I carefully reinstalled it, not believing that with it's reputation it couldn't deliver. But I still struggled to see what the fuss was about.

    I was now of the view that it was not for me, but decided to give it one last go before offering it for sale (by now it had about 40 hours on it).

    In it went and the result was an astounding night and day difference, akin to listening to a different and vastly superior vinyl system, digging out detail that I would never have believed was there. The sort of thing that made me look over my shoulder (on LP's that I knew well) because it sounded as though there was something behind me (honestly made me jump as well!).

    So what was different? Maybe the accumulation of hours? I also put everything I knew into the set up including paying forensic attention to VTF (2.504g) VTA and used an azimuth gauge for the first time.

    Or maybe I just got lucky and found the cart's set up sweet spot? Whatever it was I'm reluctant to touch it again as I'm wary of ever getting it back. So as a budgetary stretch I'd throw this into the mix - the performance is there to be had but with the proviso that it may take some effort to find it.

    The ART 9 is still of interest to me as I like AT cart's in general and if you get one I'd be interested to read what you think of it.

    But for me the search is over and I'm no longer looking at "what might be". A situation I'd never envisaged.
    Source: Orbe SE / SME IV / Cadenza Bronze
    Source: WD NAS / Cyrus Stream X2 / Chord DAVE
    Source: Oppo UDP-205 (CD/DVD-A/SACD)

    Amplification: Icon Audio PS 3 Sig Phono + Audio Research LS27 + Musical Fidelity A5cr Power Amp
    Loudspeakers: ProAc Response D28
    Cables/stands: Mark Grant G1500HD + Linn K20 + Cat 5e
    Other bits: Okki Nokki keeping things clean

  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: West London

    Posts: 153
    I'm Steve.

    Default

    I had a Benz SL Wood which I was very happy with. I do prefer the Ortofon Jubilee. It is difficult to get the sweet spot but once achieved there is a lot more of everything over the Benz.

    Keep an eye on the Ortofon site in the Treasure Trove section.
    Thorens TD550, Ortofon 12", Ortofon Jubilee or Koetsu Black; Rothwell MCL SUT, VTL 2.5 pre, XTC POW 1 power; Naim CD5x; KEF Reference 3.2's; Van den Hul interconnects and speaker cables.

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